Fifth-wheel.



FiFTH WHEEL.

@ppiicaton led Sept. 10, 1900.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES:

' Patented sept. I7, |901. J. GoGEL. y

UNITED STATES PATENT Triton.

JACOB GOGEL, OF TOLEDO, OHIO,

SPECIFICATION forming part o f Letters Patent No. 682,927, dated September 17, 1901.

Application led September 10, 1900. Serial No. 29,494. (No model.)

To all whom if .may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB GOGEL,- a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fifth-Vheels; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to and its object is to provide a cheap, simple, light, strong, and durable fifth -wheel for vehicles, and more particularly to furnish a fifth-wheel which may be rigidly secured in place withoutweakening the parts by the usual numerous holes therethrough and which shall furnish a maximum of bearing-surfaces between the upper and lower members with the minimum of size and weight.

My invention further consists in the details of construction hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

I attain the objects referred to by means of the construction and arrangement lof parts hereinafter described, and shown and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front View, partly in central vertical section, of my fifth-wheel in place; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same in central longitudinal vertical section; Fig. 3, a top plan View of the upper circle, hereinafter referred to, detached; and Fig. 4, a top plan View of the lower circle, hereinafter referred to, detached.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

In the drawings, 1 is the upper circle, fiat and smooth at bottom and rounded in transverse section at top. A diametrical crossarm 2 connects the opposite sides of this circle, and a radial arm 3, leading from the middle ofthe arm 2, is joined to the rim, the two arms 2 3 forming an integral T- plate. At each end of the arm 2 is a pair of upwardly-projecting lugs 4 for the reception of the head-block 5. The arm 3 is countersunk, as at 3a, for the reception of the reach-plate or perch-strap 6,

the upper surface of which when in place is flush with the top of the plate 3 and projects backwardly and is connected with. the reach or perch 6, as illustrated in Fig. 2. At the middle of the arm 2 is a downwardlyproject ing boss 2a, through which is an opening for the reception of a corresponding boss on the lower circle and for the passage of the kingbolt 7.

8 is the lower circle, the upper face of which is flat and smooth and the lower surface of which is rounded in transverse section. The cross-arm 9 connects opposite sides of the circle 8. upwardly-projecting boss 8f, which engages the boss 2n on the upper circle. The contacting faces of the bosses 2 and 8a are in the same plane with the contacting fiat lfaces of the upper and lower circles. The circle 8 is At the middle of this cross-arm is an also provided at each end of the cross-arm 9 with two downwardly projecting lugs 9, which are spaced apart for receiving the axle, as shown in Fig. 2. The circle and the two lugs are provided with vertical bolt-holes. The lugs 9a strengthen the circle, give long strong bearings for the bolts isb, and make a rigid connection between the circle and axle. The upper face of circle 8 has adjacent to each end of bar 9 two rectangular countersunk recesses Se for receiving the square heads of the bolt-s Sb, and from these recesses are extended the bolt-holes down through the two lugs 9a.

l0 isa circle-guard consisting of a flat strap having a downward bend 10% The circleguard is secured to the bottom side of the T- arm 3 by means of bolts l0b,which pass through the reach or perch, the reach-plate 6, the T- arm 3, and the circle-guard l0. The downward bend 10 in the guard-plate loosely receives the lower circle S.

My device is assembled and operated as follows: The lower circle is secured to the axle and axle-bed by means of separable square-headed bolts 8b, passing down through the plate and its lugs at each end of the crossarm 9, the bolts at bottom engaging opposite ends of cross-bars 8 on the under side of the axle by means of nuts 81. The upper circle is engaged with the lower'circle by means of the bosses 2a and 8, one slipping over the other.. The king-bolt 7 is passed downwardly IOO through the center of the bosses of both circles and through the axle and is secured at bottom by means of a nut on its threaded lowerextremity. Thehead-blocl;,wl1ichrests upon the arm 2 and between the upwardlyprojecting lugs 4, is secured to the upper circle by means of clips 1l, which embrace the arm 2, t-he head-block, and the forward spring. The reach, the reach-plate, and the circle-guard are secured together by means of the bolts 10b, and the device is now assembled and ready for use. The upper circle is stationary,while the lower circle swings with the axle, the bearings and the friction between the upper and lower members being the two flat meeting faces of the upper and lower circles and the contacting parts of the bosses 2a 8a.

It will be seen that the advantages of the construction here shown are that the crossarms of the uppercircle and of the lower circle being separated some distance from each other in parallel planes permit the upper cross-arm to be secured to the head-block by means ot' clips ll, embracing the arm 2. As the arm is straight, the clip may be moved to or fro along the arm and secured to the head-block at any desired point. As the ironing and trimming of different vehicles vary, the arrangement by which the clips ll may be secured to the arm 2 at any desired point renders my fifth-wheel applicable to a variety of vehicles. It is obvious that the clamping of the arm 2 and head-block together by means of encircling clips without holes avoids weakening the arms and head block and insures the greatest strength and rigidity with the least Weight of parts.

Another advantage found in my construction is the use of the separable square-headed bolts 8b, passing down through the plate, and the downwardly-projecting lugs 9 at each end of the cross-arm 9. By dropping the square head of the bolt into the countersunk recess 8" of the upper face of the plate the bolt is prevented from turning and the plate from becoming loosened. As the plates and bolts are separable, bolts of diiferent lengths may be used, and thus the device may be accommodated to axles of greater or less thickness. The lateral lugs 9a give long rigid bearings for the separable bolts and strengthen the connection of the circle 8 with the axle.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a fifth-wheel, the combination with the upper circle having a cross-arm and central perforated boss, of the lower circle S having a cross-arm 9, a central perforated boss and two lateral, downwardly-projecting lugs 9l at each end of said cross-bar, said lugs being spaced apart to receive the axle, and having vertical bolt-holes, and the face of said lower circle having at each end of bar 9 two rectangular countersunk recesses 8G, two pair of square-headed, removable bolts in the holes of the lugs with their heads in said recesses, and a cross-plate beneath the axle engaged by said pairs of bolts and by nuts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB GOGEL.

Witnesses:

A. D. STEWART, L. BROWN. 

